53. Kendall
Kendall
I’m sitting on Kai’s lap while he slips his hands underneath my shirt and places hot open mouthed kisses along my neck.
“Kai,” I whisper, “We’re going to get caught.”
He smiles against my skin and replies, “So tell me to stop,” while sinking his hand deeper into my hip.
“Stopping would be cruel.” Something in my brain prevents me from doing that and instead, I tug on the hair at the nape of his neck and kiss him harder.
He skims the top of my underwear with his fingers, dragging them slowly with intention.
A tease. I’m fairly certain we’ll end up naked in my bed if we don’t stop.
Footsteps coming up the stairs send our hookup session crashing to an abrupt halt.
Shit. My mom must have gotten home early from work.
I jump off of him, landing on my bed and adjust my shirt just as she opens the door.
“Hey guys…” she trails off looking from me to Kai. “Just wondering if you’re joining us for dinner, Kai?” she asks, confusion marring her features.
“Um sure. Thanks, Mrs. James,” he responds awkwardly.
My mom steps further into the room and pushes the door all the way open. “How’s the project going?”
“Good. We’ve been hard at work,” I answer, stretching the truth a bit and Kai’s face turns bright red. I mean we had been working hard on some things.
“What’s it on?” she inquires.
“What?” I ask, confused. Apparently Kai’s soft pillowy lips and his large, eager, well-traveled hands have melted a few of my brain cells.
“What are you doing your project on?”
Shit shit. Our project.
“We’re analyzing the ending of Macbeth,” I say. Which isn’t a total lie. We did have to analyze and eventually write a paper about the ending of Macbeth. That just isn’t what we were doing when my mom walked in.
“Okay, well, let me know if you guys need anything. Dinner’s at 6.” She closes the door and both Kai and I start laughing uncontrollably.
“We have to stop sneaking around,” I say and grab his hand.
“But it’s so much fun,” he responds, kissing my cheek.
No more than five minutes later, my mom yells at us from downstairs “Kendall, Kai, could you come down here for a minute?”
We hurry downstairs impatiently, knowing we’ve likely been found out. It’s not like we could keep this from them forever. My mom hovers over the island, arms folded and lips pursed in a thin line.
“Sit,” she states and nods toward the stools opposite her. “Is there something you want to tell me, Ken?” She stares at me pointedly while Kai and I both take a seat.
“Like what?” I ask, trying to fumble my way through this.
Is it better to own up to this or dig myself deeper?
“Like why I walked into the room and you and Kai appeared to be doing anything other than studying. How long has this been going on for?” she questions and I know I can’t fake my way out of this conversation.
“Mom, I—” I start to plead. But she cuts me off.
“How long?” she demands.
“On and off since the end of the summer,” I explain quietly, fidgeting with the hem of my shirt.
“I’m actually a little relieved. I thought you were going to say since last year,” she sighs.
“Okay so…you aren’t mad?” I wonder.
“I’m mad you two have been sneaking around behind our backs and clearly lying to us. But I’m not mad you guys are together. Are you guys together?” she asks curiously, leaning forward on the island.
“Yes,” I reply. “We’re dating.” I glance at Kai and he is beaming despite the amount of shit we have managed to get ourselves in.
“My next question is, and Kai, hunny, I’m sorry you are here for this—are you guys sexually active and if you are, are you being safe?” I don’t have to look at Kai to know his usual porcelain face has now turned beet red.
“We haven’t had sex, but when we do, we will definitely be safe,” I promise.
“Okay, when not if. So maybe this conversation is more timely than I thought. Kai, of course I can’t tell you what to do here but I would highly suggest you use condoms and other protective methods.
Kendall, I think we should make an OBGYN appointment and consider birth control options if that is what you want.
But that is more your mother’s realm of expertise, not mine.
That is also not a discussion we need to have in front of Kai. ”
“You’re really okay with this?” I ask, slightly taken aback. My moms are pretty progressive but I’m still surprised.
“I’m okay with it as long as you both keep up your grades and athletic commitments and stop sneaking around. And most importantly, you both need to be good to each other and be safe. Just so we are perfectly clear, I'm forty-eight but I’m not trying to raise grandchildren anytime soon.”
I don’t think I have ever been more embarrassed and relieved at the same time.
“Okay. I’m really sorry we didn’t tell you guys sooner and that we’ve been sneaking around. But I’m glad you guys know and are okay with it.”
“Why wouldn’t we be okay with it? You two have been friends forever and we love Kai like family.
There is no one we would trust to take care of you and be good to you more than him.
But you guys were friends first and you’ve been close for a very long time.
So please be gentle and kind with each other’s hearts. ”
As if that hasn't been the exact dilemma we’ve been dealing with for the past two months. Kai feels my trepidation and gently intertwines his hand with mine underneath the counter.
“I care about Kendall a lot. I promise I will always treat her with kindness and respect, Mrs. James,” he explains and I know he means every word.
“I know you will, Kai. If there is anyone I would have picked for Kendall to date it would be you. No contest. And just so you know, I texted your mom about my little discovery, and she knows we’ve talked about it.
I’m not sure it will save you from another similar conversation with your parents, but it might.
” My mom smiles and winks at Kai hopefully.
“Did she seem mad?” he asks, worry bleeding into his voice.
“I don’t think she is mad necessarily. Probably disappointed that you kept this from her and your dad. But truthfully, me, your mom, and Mrs. Carlisle had a bet about when you guys would start dating. Your mom won,” my mom confesses.
“A bet!” we both say in unison.
“Yeah, your mom thought it would be some time this year. She thought you would be hesitant, cautious, and look at the situation from every angle. I assumed last year and Mrs. Carlisle is very surprised you two held out this long,” she explains.
Kai and I start laughing. It’s funny the way things work out.
How everyone knew we belonged together long before we did.
Like there has always been an invisible tether connecting us to each other.
Maybe that’s what our love story is about, its roots anyways.
We aren’t just childhood friends turned high school sweethearts, a cliche cautionary tale.
Our story is unwavering friendship that grew and grew until it morphed into something new and different, beautiful and unbreakable.